Above-ground swimming-pool construction



Jan. 7, 1969 A. v. PETRIK ABOVE-GROUND SWIMMING-POOL CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 12, 1966 aw 0 m M m M A W/1i. Yaw/12 ATTOP/VEX United States Patent ()fiice Patented Jan. 7, 1 969 3,419,918 ABOVE-GROUND SWIMMING-POOL CONSTRUCTION Albert V. Petrik, 1552 Lindbergh Ave., Roslyn, Pa. 19001 Filed Dec. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 600,856 US. Cl. 4-172 7 Int. Cl. E04h 3/18 This invention relates generally to swimming pools adapted to rest on the ground or other supporting surface, commonly called above-ground swimming pools.

The invention is particularly concerned with a unique combination and structure of elements including a pool side wall having a bottom rail resting on a ground surface, and a flexible sheet liner against the ground surface and side wall, with a unique reinforcement strip sandwiched between the liner on one side and the pool side wall, bottom rail and ground surface on the other side.

As is well known to those versed in the art, the construction and erection of above-ground swimming pools required the tedious and time-consuming formation of an earth fillet to support the liner at the juncture of the side wall and ground surface. In addition to the time and trouble consumed in formation of such an earth fillet or coving, its permanency and adequacy were not assured. and internal water pressure not infrequently caused creeping of the lining beyond the retaining wall, usually resulting in damage and leakage.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a unique and highly improved combinative arrangement and construction of parts in an above-the-ground swimming pool, which completely eliminates the need for an earth filling or coving, to greatly simplify and reduce the time required for pool erection.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an above-ground swimming-pool construction having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which affords a highly effective and positive seal against liner creeping, eliminates or substantially reduces corrosion of metal parts, rot and other deterioration of the liner, unevenness of the pool bottom, and minimizes need for repeated painting and replacement of parts.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a materi-al part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrange- Claims ments of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view showing an aboveground pool constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 22 of FIGURE 1, enlarged for clarity; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating in greater detail improvements of the instant invention.

Referring now rnOre particularly to the drawings, an above-the-ground pool is generally designated 10, including an upstanding side wall 11 of circular or other closed configuration and resting on a ground surface 12.

The side wall 11 may be of sheet steel, or other suitable material having the requisite stiffness, and is provided along its lower edge margin, circumferentially thereabout, with a bottom rail 13.

As seen in FIGURE 2, the bottom rail 13 may have an upwardly facing groove 14 receiving the lower edge of the side wall 11, and the bottom wall may rest on the ground surface 12 to support the bottom wall upstanding from the ground surface.

In the conventional manner, a circumferential top rail 16 may extend along the upper edge of the side wall 11, entirely therea-bout, and one or more-bracing columns 17 may be provided extending vertically across the side wall 11 between the bottom and top rails 13 and 16.

Interiorly of the side wall 11, the pool 10 includes a liquid-impervious liner 18, say of plastic sheeting, or other suitable material. In the conventional manner, the liner 18 may be fabricated of a generally circular, or other conformably configured bottom wall 19 adapted to rest on the ground surface 12 extending substantially completely across the interior of the side wall 11 and bottom rail 13. The liner 18 further includes a peripheral wall 20 upstanding along the inner surface of the relatively stiif side wall 11 and supported thereby. The peripheral wall 20 may have its lower margin heat-sealed, or otherwise joined in sealed relation, as at 21 to the peripheral margin of the bottom wall 19. Thus, the sealed joint 21 of the flexible bottom and peripheral walls 19 and 20 is located proximate to the bottom rail 13. The upper edge margin of the peripheral liner wall 20 may be anchored beneath the top rail 16 in any conventional manner.

Interposed between the liner 18 and the bottom rail 13 is a flexible covin g strip 23. The coving strip 23 is advantageously of a substantial, woven fabric, such as canvas, duck or the like, but may be of any suitable flexible strip material having the requisite thickness and flexibility.

More specifically, the coving strip 23 extends entirely about the interior of the bottom rail 13 being sandwiched between the latter and the adjacent portion of the liner 18, as by the weight of liquid contained within the liner. More particularly, the coving strip 23 is sandwiched between the bottom rail 13 and the juncture region 21 of the liner bottom wall 19 and peripheral wall 20. In addition, the coving strip 23 includes an upper, longitudinally extending margin 24 in facing engagement with the inner surface of the side wall 11 and held against the latter under conditions of use by pressure of the liner peripheral wall 20 against the margin 24. The coving strip 23 includes a lower longitudinal margin 25 which extends generally radially inward from the bottom rail 13 along the ground surface 12 and held firmly thereagainst by downward pressure of the liner bottom wall 19. Thus, the coving strip 23 is, under conditions of use with the pool 10 containing water, sandwiched between the liner 18 on one side, and the ground surface 12, lower rail 13 and side wall 11 on the other side.

It is, of course, understood that the coving strip 23 is of sufficient thickness and of proper flexibility to prevent its creeping or extrusion between the ground surface 12 and bottom rail 13. This in turn prevents similar creeping or extrusion of the liner 18.

Preferably the upper longitudinal margin 24 of the coving strip 23 is relatively stiff, as by impregnation with a stiffening compound, say plastic, or the like. This facilitates erection of the pool, enabling the coving strip 23 to be held in place before filling of the pool by relatively simple securing means, such as small pieces of adhesive tape 27. That is, each tape 27 may be adhesively secured to the stiffened upper coving-strip margin 24 and adjacent portion of side wall 11, the stiffness of the upper covingstrip margin cooperating with the securement tapes 27 to maintain the coving strip in position during assembly. Of course, during use the coving strip is forcibly held in position by water pressure exerted against the liner 18.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides an above-the-ground swimming-pool construction which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture, erection and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a swimming pool adapted to rest On a ground surface, the combination comprising: a stiff upstanding side wall, a bottom rail extending along the lower edge of said side wall for supporting the latter on a ground surface, a flexible liner extending downwardly against the inner surface of said side wall and along the ground surface, and a strip of flexible sheet material extending along the inner side of said bottom rail between the latter and said liner, said strip including an upper longitudinal margin extending above said bottom rail between said side wall and liner, and a lower longitudinal margin extending inwardly from said bottom rail between said liner and a ground surface, whereby said liner is effectively reinforced at its lower corner without an earth coving.

2. The combination according to claim 1, said upper strip margin being relatively stiff, and securing means for holding said upper strip margin in place against said side wall.

3. The combination according to claim 1, said strip being of a thickness and stiffness to prevent creeping beneath said bottom rail under conditions of use.

4. The combination according to claim 3, said strip being of a relatively heavy fabric.

5. The combination according to claim 3, said side wall extending about a closed configuration, said bottom rail extending along the entire lower edge of said side wall about said closed configuration, and said liner including a bottom wall adapted to rest on said ground surface, and a peripheral wall extending circumferentially about and having its lower edge marginally joined to said bottom wall, said strip lying against and reinforcing the joint between said liner bottom and peripheral walls.

6. The combination according to claim 5, said strip being of a relatively heavy fabric having a thickness and stiffness to prevent its creeping beneath said bottom rail under conditions of use.

7. The combination according to claim 6, said upper strip margin being relatively stiff, and securing means for holding said upper strip margin in place against said side wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,839,762 6/1958 Nomura 4172 3,177,501 4/1965 KWake 4-172 3,225,362 12/1965 Barrera 4172 3,302,825 2/1967 Schleeweiss 4-l72 3,354,473 11/1967 Schwarz et al. 4-172 3,358,761 12/1967 Powers 4172 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

HENRY K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SWIMMING POOL ADAPTED TO REST ON A GROUND SURFACE, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A STIFF UPSTANDING SIDE WALL, A BOTTOM RAIL EXTENDING ALONG THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID SIDE WALL FOR SUPPORTING THE LATTER ON A GROUND SURFACE, A FLEXIBLE LINER EXTENDIND DOWNWARDLY AGAINST THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SIDE WALL AND ALONG THE GROUND SURFACE, AND A TRIP OF FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL EXTENDING ALONG THE INNER SIDE OF SAID BOTTOM RAIL BETWEEN THE LATTER AND SAID LINER, SAID STRIP INCLUDING AN UPPER LONGITUDINAL MARGIN EXTENDING ABOVE SAID BOTTOM RAIL BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALL SAID LINER, AND A LOWER LONGITUDINAL MARGIN EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAID BOTTOM RAIL BETEEN SAID LINER AND A GROUND SURFACE, WHEREBY SAID LINER IS EFFECTIVELY REINFORCED AT ITS LOWER CORNER WITHOUT AN EARTH COVING. 